FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Why is the Mogherini case a warning for the European Union?
A judicial earthquake that shakes the heart of the European Union. The detention of Federica Mogherini, one of the symbolic figures of European diplomacy and former EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, is not simply a criminal matter.
The picture emerging from the Belgian investigation shows a possible network of connections between institutions and training centers, between those who draft the rules and those who influence them, between those who manage the funds and those who benefit from them.
The whistleblower's footprints and the long shadow of 2023
Contrary to the narrative of the last few hours, the investigation did not emerge out of the blue. It began in 2023, when a whistleblower within the College of Europe informed the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) of a series of anomalies in relations with the European External Action Service (EEAS). Emails, confidential documents, the pre-setting of the criteria for a tender for an EU-funded training programme, fragments that, taken together, suggested that the College had been made aware of tender information before its official publication. If proven, this would constitute a serious infringement of competition and misuse of informal connections with EEAS leaders.
From there, the EPPO opens a preliminary file, which turns into a formal investigation in 2024, a long, silent story, built step by step, leading to today's bans.
Not just 990 thousand euros: the economic dimension expands
The figure of 990 thousand euros discussed in the media is just the tip of the iceberg. There are other contracts, subcontracts and additional training modules at play that bring the total to over 1.3 million euros. Investigators want to find out if a recurring pattern is hidden behind these agreements: the same people, the same flow of information, the same way of sharing. The College of Europe has for decades been the center through which the formation of European elites passes, a position that naturally brings a large flow of funds. Today's question is: has this institutional relationship turned into a dark privilege, protected by personal connections that influence the tender machinery in the EU?
Waiving immunity: the political signal
The decisive step was the lifting of diplomatic immunity for Mogherini and Sannino, a rare act, approved by the Secretariat of the Council of the EU. This is an indication that the Belgian justice system has strong evidence to move the investigation forward. The EU, it seems, is giving a clear signal: immunity is not a shield for those who manage public money. But at the same time, the case reveals the fragility of the European decision-making process, because two key figures, one until a few months ago at the head of the EEAS and the other at the head of the institution that trains future diplomats, are suspected of having manipulated rules that they themselves built.
Geopolitical effect: Europe loses credibility where it needs it most
The scandal erupts at a time when Europe aims to strengthen its strategic autonomy. The US is reviewing its role in NATO; Russia is consolidating its position in Ukraine; China is aggressively penetrating Latin America and Africa with powerful investments. In this context, the EU must appear unified, credible, transparent. But the “Mogherini” case opens a wound precisely at the symbolic heart of the European project: the formation of its elites.
If the institution that prepares future leaders is revealed to have benefited from uncompetitive information, the image of a meritocratic and regulated Europe begins to crumble.
The College of Europe is not just a university. It is the laboratory of the EU elite, where the commissioners, diplomats and bureaucrats of the future are formed. This investigation therefore touches a sensitive nerve. It is not just about technical irregularities, but about the EU's ability to choose its leaders without any dark areas. If it is proven that the College has benefited from contracts thanks to access to inside information, then the EU risks losing the cultural battle of transparency even before the political one.
A Europe that must look at itself in the mirror
The Mogherini case will not only change the fate of the EU. But it forces Brussels to analyze procedures, the management of funds and how permeable the institutions are to personal influence. At a time when the EU is talking about common defense, a new industrial pact and more autonomous diplomacy, this investigation risks becoming a boomerang: eroding moral capital, weakening public trust and weakening the European political project at the very time when it should be strengthened.
The investigation continues and it is not excluded that the final picture will be less serious than what it seems today. But the message is clear: Europe cannot demand order from member states if it does not implement it within its own walls. /Adapted from “Pamphlet” by “Inside Over”
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